ive narrowed down my rat rods leaning problem to a fubar'd straitish front axle. in the course of replacing it, i need to remove the kingpins to get my brakes and spindles out. how the hell do i do this? theyre early ford pieces, by the way.
mike

Heat, a BIG hammer,a drift pin, a grinder and patience, there is a lock screw on the axle that doubles as a stop, drive it out, remove the caps from the tops of the spindles and drive the kingpin out, usually takes heat to break loose years of rust and dirt in the axle end.

You will want to support the axle with a jackstand set as close to the pin as possible.
As for the heat you will need a "rosebud" tip and you want to heat the axle as fast as you can. Try to keep the flame from heating the pin if you can help it. Just remember be patient, if you get angry you will not be a happy camper.
I have heated the axle end until it was red hot and then hit the pin once or twice and then left it to cool down. But just before I quit for the day I spray the pins with some lube anything will do because it will have all night to soak in.
When you start working on them again they will come right out. And if worse comes to worse use the "Victor" wrench!

Hi! Disterbd, Sound like you need a little help. First let me say that it isn't as hard to do as it might look. Let's take a few minutes, to talk about safety. Support the axle from under the axle with a Jack stand. Clear the area of all Solvents, Oil, Gas, rag's, Paper, any thing that might catch Fire. If you remove the Brake hose, plug it and clean up the spelt fluid before you start. tool's you may need! Make your Owen punch by the use of a Two foot long or so scrap One inch Pipe. Flatten one end of the Pipe and drill a hole (if the King Pine is One inch Die. then use something smaller like 3/4" drill) in the flattened end of the Pipe. Now find a grade 8 bolt (I believe this is a bolt that has 6 marks on the head) that is threaded all the way to the head and after putting it through the Pipe and installing a nut TIGHT that there is still an inch or so past the nut left. You will also need a punch that is just a bet smaller then the WAGE Pine. This a good place to use a 12 lb. Slag Hammer. You will also need a smaller hammer, like a large Ball-Pen hammer. A ***** punch is useful in removing the Greases caps at the top and bottom of the King Pine. A few clean Rags would be helpfull.A few wrenches. And finely a torch of some kind that is hot enough to get the end of the Axle red hot ( NOT THE SPINDLE ). OK now here is how I would remove the King Pine.
(1) Jack up the axle and support it with a Jack Stand.
(2) Remove the Tire and Rim.
(3) Remove the brake drum, shoe's, and backing plat. make sure to plug the brake line if you removed it.
(3a) If you have Disk brakes: remove the Calipers and the Rotors, hub and all the bearings, remove the dust plat.
(4) You will find a Wage Pine through the Axle with a nut on one end. Remove the nut and Drive the Pine out. (Be careful to not BEND the pine use a large punch first and then a punch that is just a bet smaller then the pine)
(5) With the ***** punch or something else! Remove the Greases Cap's. Top and bottom. Wipe the greases out of the top of the king pine.
(6) Place a small jack under the King Pine and Spindle and put a little pressure on it.
(7) Now If you Can, get someone to help. Have your helper hold the Pipe you made with the left over part on top of the King Pine tightly! (and have him as far a way as the pipe will allow) Now take the Slag and Hit the bolt in the end of the pipe, Hard I mean HARD, one time. If the Pine moved down at all then put something between the jack and the spindle so the King Pine want hit it as it is removed. If the pine is moving out OK then remove the jack and drive the pine the rest of the way out.
(8) If the King Pine is stuck or doesn't want to move then you will have too heat it till it is red hot and then repeat step #7
(9) After the pine has been removed and you used heat, DO NOT put the spindle in Water to cool it. Just put it to one side and when cool take it the Machine shop to be re bushed.
when reinstalling this king pine make sure to put the spacer shims between the TOP of the Axle and the Spindle and the spindle bearing between the Axle and the BOTTOM of the Spindle. Put the wage pine in the RIGHT direction as it is tapered. put it in and then hit it with a hammer to drive it home and then put the Nut on so it want back out. Reinstall all the rest of the removed parts.
Hope this help's------------------------------------Gene Neal

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